Lafz Bheege Hain – Words Drenched in Tears

Sufiscore is not just a record label but also a YouTube channel which has a huge following in Asia, particularly South Asia. This latest release features Pratibha Singh Baghel, a very able artiste who is well-known for her work in musical theatre as well as playback singing for Bollywood. This album, with new poems by Urdu poet Ajay Sahaab, focuses on the theme of unrequited love said to have been inspired by the true life relationship of two of India’s best known poets, Amrita Pritam (1919-2005) and the literary giant Sahir Ludhianvi, (1921-1980) although specific anecdotes about their encounters work better in the visualisations on YouTube rather than the audio version alone. Original compositions by Rajesh Singh are loosely based on classical evening ragas and go a long way in capturing the mood of the poetry, conveying a sense of melancholy and longing for a love lost. Cello, acoustic guitars, violin, viola and keyboards join the bansuri (bamboo flute), sarod and sarangi in a way that doesn’t overshadow the lyrics. Without a doubt, an understanding of Urdu would enhance the listening experience but for this kind of digital-only release with no physical copies, full notes and lyric translations are only included in media files for press and reviewers.